Fluid compressor



March l, 1949. W, J, HASSELBERG y 2,463,174

FLUID COMPRESSOR WILLIAM .J. HASSELBERG ATTORNEYS March 1, 1949. w, J, SSSSSSS ERG 1 2,463,174

Patented Mar. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUID COMPRESSOR William J. Hasselberg, Forest Park, Ill.

Application May 29, 1946, Serial No. 673,042

16 Claims. (Cl. 230-211) This invention relates to improvements in compressors, and particularly reciprocating, displacement type compressors for gaseous iiuids to be used in connection with food products.

The main objects of this invention are to providean improved fluid compressor wherein contamination of the iiuid being compressed by the lubricant for the moving compressor parts is obviated; to provide an improved compressor for gases into which a cooling and lubricating liquid has been entrained and wherein contamination of either the compressor lubricant or the cooling liquid by each other is obviated; to provide an improved compressor which will deliver a cool, clean compressed gas on its discharge side; to provide a compressor having improved means for scavenging the compressor interior of objectionable lubricant vapors and odors; to provide an improved air-cooled compressor for gaseous fluids; and to provide an improved compressor for gases utilized in the manufacture, processing or handdling of food products wherein the gas compressed is maintained completely `free from foreign odors, vapors or other contaminating matter that might be present in the compressor mechanism.

A specific embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in Which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view in elevation ofthe improved gas compressor.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the compressor head showing an arrangement for the discharge valve.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing an arrangement for the intake valve.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the compressor head as taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 to show the gas intake and discharge passages.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view as taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 to show the relation of the scavenging passages and the secondary or guide piston, and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view as taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 1 to show the relationship of the compressor parts above the secondary or guide piston.

As shown in the drawings, the herein-described improvements are embodied in an air compressor includes suitable intake and discharge openings and the valves for controlling the same.

In the form shown, the compression or cylinder portion 6 of the compressor contains a centrally disposed guide cylinder 8 which is spaced from the walls of the upper compressor portion and which is supported by a solid transverse divided wall or partition means 9 separating the crank case portion, or lower portion I of the compressor from the upper or compressing portion 6.

A guide piston I0 is disposed within the guide cylinder 8 and is connected to the crank 2 by means of a connecting rod II which is journaled on a wrist pin I 2 in the guide piston I0. The guide piston is also directly connected to a compressing piston I3 by means of a fixed rod I4 screwed into the head of the guide piston IB and secured by means of a lock nut I5.

` The compressing piston I3 works within a cylinder comprising a shell or sleeve I5 mounted Within the upper part of the compressor body, the piston I3 being provided with a suitable piston ring, or rings, I'I and having a depending cylindrical skirt or apron I8, spaced from the inner wall of the cylinder shell or sleeve I6 and of such length as to extend somewhat below the upper end of the guide cylinder 8 when the piston I3 is at the end of its compression stroke and in its uppermost position.

It will be understood that, as shown, the guide cylinder 8 extends above its Supporting partition 8 a suiiicient distance to accommodate the skirt I8 when the piston I3 is at the end of its intake stroke and in its lowermost position, the skirt I8 traveling within the space between the side walls of the upper portion 6 and the guide cylinder 8.

In the form shown, the upper end of the compression piston I3 is provided with a compression cup I9 having an upwardly extending flangelike marginal portion which hugs the inner sidewall of the sleeve I6, the compression cup I9 being made of leather or other suitable flexible material. As shown, however, the compression cup I9 is secured in place by means of a hold-down plate 20, having a hollow central boss 2l to accommodate the nut by means of which the piston rod I4 is secured to the piston I3, and having a peripheral collar 22 which is spaced slightly inward from the flange-like sleeve-engaging portion of the cup I9. `The cover plate 20 is secured in place by a plurality of screws or bolts 23 which are threaded into suitably tapped openings in the upper end of the piston I3. Also the central boss 2l of the cover plate is externally threaded to receive a guard ring 24 having a flange portion which extends over the upper ends of the screws or bolts 23, the purpose of the guard ring 24 being to assure that a loose or broken bolt 23 will not be punched through the cylinder head 1.

As shown, the cylinder head 1 houses an intake valve means 25 and a discharge valve means 26 which are connected to the exterior of the cylinder head by suitable passages 21 and 28 respectively. The' valve chambersv in the cylinder head 1 open to the top of the cylinder head as well as to the interior of the compression chamber and the top of the cylinder headis closed off by means of a suitable closure plate 29 which is fastened to the cylinder head by means of screws' or any other suitable means.

As shown in Fig 1, a supply pipe or intakel conduit 30 for supplying air or other gaseous fluid to be compressed, is connected to the intake passage 21 at the side of the head 1, and a supply line 3| for cold water or other cooling medium is connected into. the intake passage 21 through the center of the cover pate 29, the line 3l being provided with a sight glass 32 and -a suitable valve 33 for controlling the flow of cooling medium therethrough.

The discharge and intake valves 2tv and 25 may be of any suitable type, such as the disc-type of valves illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, respectively. As this type of valve is well known in the art no attempt wil-1 be made to describe it in detail.. However, as indicated in Fig. I,` these valves are prefer-ably removable as a unit, or complete valve assembly and are secured in place in the cylinder head 1 by means of suitable screws 34 which are threaded through the top cover plate 23 and engage the upper portion of the respective valve body.

In the form shown, the interior scavenging arrangement for the improved compressor utilizes an external supply means by which air is forcedA through the upper, or compressingpart of the compressor to pick up and remove undesirable vapors and odors that might arise from the crank case portion I. Y

As shown, this external scavenging or ventilating air supply means comprises a blower 35, or other suitable means,y arranged to force air under pressure into the compressorvby way of a passage 36 formed in the side wall of the guide. cylinder 8 and leading through a thickened portion 31 of the dividing member 9 separating the crank case from the cylinder portion of the ,compressor. The air passage 36, which may if desired extend around the guide cylinder 8 leads into the guide cylinder above the guide piston I8, through one or more openings 38 formed in the guide cylinderA side wall. y

In' the form shown, the upper end opening of the guide cylinder 8 is restricted by means of a conically shaped cylinder cap 39, which is mounted on and secured to the upper end of the guide cylinder Bland which-terminates in a collar portion 40 surrounding but spaced from the connecting rod I4.

Likewise the skirt I 8V depending from the gas compressing piston I3 is spaced from the inner wall of the cylinder sleeve I6 leaving a space or clearance 42 by means of which uid leaking past the piston ring I1 is trapped and more readily removed from the compressor.

Y With this arrangement, during the compression stroke, the volume of air displaced by the guide piston. I0 and the air supplied by the blower 35 will suciently compensate the displacement of fthe piston I3 in theupper portion of the compressor -as to prevent such a reduction in pressure within the space 42 that would cause fogging, or the formation of a fog-like cloud, from any oi the cooling and lubricating liquid which might leak past the upper piston ring I1. Any such leakage will, therefore, normally drain as -a liquid along the outer surface of the sleeve I8.

In normal operation, as the compressor is used and the compression cup I-Il.l at the top of the compressing piston I3 becomes worn, there may be considerable leakage or draining of the cooling liquid from the compression chamber, above the piston I3, downwardly past the piston ring I1 and through the space 42 into the upper section, or cylinder portion, of the compressor body. If such cooling fluid is allowed to form a fog-like vapor or cloud, it may be caused to condense on the rod I4 and pass into the crank case by Way of the crank case breather openings 44 in the guide piston.

However, by maintaining the supply of the Ventilating medium during the compression stroke of the piston f3 and thus maintaining suitable pressure in the upper compressor portion and in the space 42 during the compression stroke, any leakage of cooling lubricant past the piston ring I1 Will drain downwardly on the outer side of the skirtv I8 and be carried beyond the top opening of the guide cylinder, nally being drained from the compressor through the scavenging outlet 43.

Such Ventilating medium or air, supplied to the interior of the compressor by means of the blower 35 is continuously forcedv through the passages 36 and 38 into the upper part of the guide cylinder from Where the air passes, under pressure, through the restricted opening 4I between the connecting rod I4 and the collar 4U into the space p below the piston I3 defined by the depending skirt the cylinder or compressing portion of the compleSSOr.

Ventilation or breathing for the crank case portion of the compressor also may be aiiorded by means of passages 44 formed in the guide piston I0 and leading from the upper surface thereof to the interior adjacent the wrist pin connection for the connecting rod Il; .and a passage 45, in the dividing member 9, leading from the blower 35. Any vapors or foreign matter or particles of lubricant arising from the lubricant contained in the crank case portion of the compressor which may make their way through the passages 44 will, however, be promptlyscavenged from the compressing portion of the compressor by means of the air forced therethrough by the blower 35.

Lubrication of the improved compressor is obtained from two sources, the iirst being the lubricating oil contained in the crank case portion I, which lubricating oil is splashed onto the various bearings en the crank shaft and onto the lower side Wallsof the guide cylinder 8 as the crank is revolved through the lubricant. Since some oi this lubricating oil make its way up the side walls of the guide cylinder 8 and past the lower piston ring 46 on the guide piston III, suitable drain passages 41 are formed in the lside Walls of the guide piston I0, just below the upper piston ring 48, by which such oil can be returned to the crank case.

The second sources of lubrication for the improved compressor is by means of the cooling medium or liquid introduced through the conduit 3| into the main compression chamber. This cooling medium is preferably pure cold water and the quantity introduced is so regulated by means of the valve 33 as to slightly moisten the air or other gas which is supplied through the conduit 30 for compression. Such moistening or cooling uid is mainly carried out of the compressor with the compressed gas and is finally collected in a separator, not shown.

During the intake stroke of the piston I3 some condensate` may form on the side wall of the piston sleeve I 6 and will be forced past the compression cup and the piston ring I1 during the compression stroke. Such condensate will, however, pass down the side wall of the piston sleeve I6 and the outer surface of the skirt I8 andV thus be carried beyond the top opening of the guide cylinder 8, so as to obviate any possibility of the condensate making its way into the crank case portion I where it might contaminate the lubricating oil contained therein.

In the operation of the improved gaseous fluid compressor, the gas is supplied to the compressing cylinder by suction on the downward stroke of the piston I3, such gas being conducted to the cylinder head by way of the conduit and entering the compressing cylinder by way of the intake valve 2'5. 'Ihe cooling medium which is preferably pure cold water is introduced to the incoming gas 1 stream by means of the conduit 3l which leads to the intake passage 21 through the cylinder head cover 29, the quantity of cooling medium being controlled so as to meisten the incoming gas. The gas is then compressed on the compression stroke of the piston and is discharged through the discharge valve 2t to a line, not shown, leading to a separator or to a storage tank, also not shown, from which the gas is used as may be desired.

. The cooling liquid introduced with the incoming gas serves to prevent any substantial rise in `temperature during the compression stroke and also serves to lubricate and cool the upper part of the compressor.

During operation of the compressor, the blower is constantly supplying air into the upper portion of the compressor for scavenging and ventilating purposes and, as before mentioned, the circulation of such scavenging or Ventilating air below the compressing piston and through the upper part of the guide cylinder serves to keep the interior of the upper part of the compressor free from any vapors or oil particles originating inthe crank case, and therebyobviates any possibility of the crank case lubricant contaminating the gaseous iiuid being compressed in the main compression cylinder.

The gaseous fluid handled by the improved `compressor is thus clean and cool and suitable for use in food processing operations or in the handling of beverages, such as tap beer, where air under pressure is required.

The main advantages of this invention reside in its arrangement whereby a supply of cool,

clean air, under pressure, for food and beverage handling processes and operations is readily obtained.

vOther advantages reside in the arrangement for `adequate ,lubrication of all moving compressor parts by two different lubricants which are kept Ai i) separate from each other, and which are eectively contained in their own working areas so as to not contaminate each other. Y

Although but one embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a fluid compressor comprising a crank case having a crank therein, a compression portion having a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, and means operatively connecting said piston and said crank, partition means arranged to separate said crank case from said compression portion, a skirt depending from said piston and spaced from the inside wall of said cylinder, and means to direct a Ventilating medium to the compression portion within said skirt, said compression portion having an outlet for said Ventilating medium.

2. In a fluid compressor comprising a crank ease having a crank therein, a compression portion having a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, and means operatively connecting said piston and said crank, partition means arranged to separate said crankcase from said compression portion, a skirt depending from said piston and spaced from the inside wall of said cylinder, and means to direct a Ventilating medium under pressure to the compression portion within said skirt,` said compression portion having an outlet for said Ventilating medium.

3. The combination with a fluid compressor comprising a crank case portion having a crank therein, a compressing portion having a cylinder and a piston therein, means operatively connecting said piston and said crank, and intake means and discharge means for said cylinder, of partition means arranged to divide said crank ease portion and said compressing portion into chambers, and means to supply a Ventilating medium under pressure to said compressing portion between said piston and said partition means, said compressing portion having an exhaust outlet ad jacent said partition means.

4. The combination with a fluid compressor comprising a crank case portion having a crank therein, a compressing portion having a cylinder and a piston therein, means operatively connecting said piston and said crank, and intake means and discharge means for said cylinder, of partition means arranged to divide said crank case portion and said compressing portion into separate chambers, means to supply a ventilating medium to said compressing portion below said piston, and means to increase the supply of said Ventilating medium by a predetermined amount during the compressing stroke of said piston, said compressing portion having an exhaust outlet adjacent said partition means.

5. The combination with a fluid compressor comprising a crank case portion having a crank therein, a compressing portion having a cylinder and a piston therein, means operatively connecting said piston and said crank, and intake means and discharge means forsaid cylinder, of partition means arranged to divide said crank case portion and said compressing portion into separate enclosed chambers, a skirt depending from said piston and spaced from the inside wall of said cylinder a suflieient distance for free passage oiuid and condensate therealong, and means to supply a Ventilating medium to said compressing portion between said piston and said partition vmeans, said compressing portion havingr an exhaust outlet adjacent said partition means.

6. The combination with a uid compressor comprising a crank case portion having a crank therein, a compressing portion having a cylinder and a, piston therein, means operatively connecting said piston and said crank, intake means and discharge means for said cylinder, and partition means arranged to divide said crank case portion and said compressing portion into separate enclosed chambers, of a skirt depending from said piston and spaced from the inside wall of said cylinder, means to supply a Ventilating medium to said compressing portion below said piston, and means to increase. the supply of ventilating medium by a predetermined amount during the compression stroke of said piston, said compressing portion having an exhaust outlet adjacent said partition means.

7. In a fluidk compressor comprising a crank case having a crank therein, an enclosed compressing chamber extending from said crank case and having a compression cylinder and a compression piston therein, partition means separating said crank case and said compressing chamber, said partition means including an open ended guide cylinder extending therethrough and supported thereby, a guide piston in said guide cyl inder, and means operatively connecting said crank said guide piston and said compression piston, means to supply a Ventilating medium into said guide cylinder above said guide piston, said compressing chamber having an outlet adjacent said partition means to discharge said ventilating medium.

8. In a fluid compressor comprising a crank case having a crank therein, an enclosed compression portion extending from said crank case and having a compressionl cylinder and a compression piston therein, partition means separating said crank case and said compression portion, said partition means including an open ended guide cylinder extending therethrough and supported thereby, a guide piston in said guide cylinder, and means operatively connecting said crank said guide piston and said compression piston, means to supply a Ventilating medium into said guide cylinder above said guide piston, and means to restrict the end opening of said guide cylinder at the compression portion end thereof, said compression portion having an outlet for the ventilating medium adjacent the partition means.

9.*In a fluid compressor comprising a crank case having a crank therein, a compression portion having a compression cylinder and a compression piston therein, partition means dividing said crank case and said compression portion into separate chambers, said partition means including an open ended guide cylinder extending therethrough and supported thereby, a guide piston in said guide cylinder,l and means ,operatively connecting said crank said guide piston and said compression piston, a skirt depending from said compression piston vand spaced from the inside Y Wall of. said compression cylinder, means to supply a Ventilating medium into said guide cylinder above said guide piston, means to restrictthe end opening of said guide cylinder at the compression portion end thereof and direct the. ventilating lmedium into the space Within said skirt, and an outlet from said compression portion located adjacent said partition means.

10. A fluid compressor comprising a crank case having a crank therein, a compressing portion including a compression cylinder and a compression piston therein, intake means and discharge means. for said compression cylinder, partition means to separate said crank case and compressing portion into separate chambers and including an open ended guidecylinder, a guide piston in said guide cylinder,v means operatively connecting said crank andguide piston and compression piston, a skirt depending from said compression piston and spaced from the inside wall of said compression cylinder to permit drainage of liquid along the outer skirt surface, means tosupply a Ventilating medium into said compressing portion and between said pistons, and exhaust means leading from said compressing portion at the level of said partition.

1 1. A fluid compressor comprising a crank case having a crank therein, a compressing portion including a compression cylinderand a compression, piston therein, intake means and discharge means for said compression cylinder, partition means'to separate said crank. case and compressing portion into separate chambers and including an open. ended guide cylinder, said guide cylinder being aligned withsaid compression cylinder and extending into said compression portion, a guide piston. in said guide cylinder, means operatively connecting said crank and guide piston and compression piston, a skirt depending from said compression piston and spaced from the inside Wall of said compression cylinder, said skirt extending to overlap said guide cylinder when said compression piston is at the end of its compression stroke means to supply a ventilating medium into said compressing portion f' and between said pistons,v and exhaust means leading from said compressing portion at the level of said partition.

12. A fluid compressor comprising a crank case having a crank therein, a compression portion having a compression cylinder therein and a compression piston within said cylinder, intake means and discharge means for said compression cylinder, means to separate said crank case and compression portion into separate chambers and l, including anopen ended guide cylinder, a guide piston-in said guide cylinder, means operatively connecting said crank and guide piston and compression piston, means to restrict the compression-portion end opening'of said guide cylinder to a predetermined area, a skirt depending from said compression piston and spaced from the inside Wall of said compression cylinder, and means to supply a Ventilating medium to said guide cylinder above said guide piston, said compression portion having an outlet opening for said Ventilating medium.

13. A fluid compressor comprising a crank case having a crank therein, a compression portion having a compressionA cylinder therein and a compression piston within said cylinder, intake means and discharge means for said compression cylinder, means to separate said crank case and compression portion into separate chambers and including an open ended guide cylinder, said guide cylinder being aligned with said compression cylinder and extending into said compression portion, a guide piston in said guide cylinder, means operatively connecting said crank and guide piston and compression piston, means to restrict the compression-portion end opening of said guide cylinder to a predetermined area, a skirt depending from said compression piston and spaced from the inside wall of said compression cylinder, said skirt'extending to voverlap said guide cylinder when said compression piston is at the end of its compression stroke, and means to supply a Ventilating medium to said guide cylinder above said guide piston, said compression portion having an outlet opening for discharge of said Ventilating medium.

14. In a uid compressor comprising a crank case having a crank therein, and a compression portion having a cylinder and a piston therein operatively connected with said crank, means arranged to divide said crank case and said compression portion into separate enclosed chambers, and means to supply a continuous ow of ventilating air through said compression portion on the crank connection side of said piston, said compression portion having an air inlet and a separate outlet for said Ventilating air.

15. In a uid compressor comprising a crank case having a crank therein, a compression portion having a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, and means operatively connecting said piston and said crank, partition means between said piston and said crank arranged to divide said crank case and said compression portion into separate enclosed chambers, and means to supply a continuous ow of a Ventilating medium under pressure to said compression portion be tween said piston and said partition means, said compression portion having a separate outlet for said Ventilating medium.

16. In a fluid compressor comprising a body 10 having a crank case and a compression portion arranged together in a unitary structure, said crank case having a crank therein, and said compression portion including a cylinder and a piston therein operatively connected with said crank, partition means between said piston and said crank arranged to divide said crank case and said compression portion into separate chambers, and means to supply a continuous now of ventilating air through said compression portion between said piston and said partition means, said compression portion having a separate outlet adjacent said partition to discharge said ventilating air.

WILLIAM J. HASSELBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS vCertificate of VCorrection Patent No. 2,463,174. March 1, 1949.

r WILLIAM J. HASSELBERG It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 2, lines 31 and 32, for partition 8 read partition .9; column 6, line 41, claim 3, after the Word into insert separate; column 10, line 23, list of references p, cited, for the number 644,299 read 694,299;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of June, A. D. 1949.

i [mi THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Uommzssz'mzer of Patents. 

